Apple Cinnamon Scones
Don’t let anybody fool you: American food in the 60s and 70s was sort of trash. I think we were supposed to believe we were cutting edge with our bologna, and TV dinners, and pasteurized processed “cheese food,” but in reality, we were just taking shortcuts that yielded some pretty unappealing results.
The holidays were not spared these innovations. For years, our Thanksgiving table included jellied cranberry sauce in a can, frozen corn niblets in butter sauce, some kind of frozen green vegetable that I have blocked from memory (so probably gr***n b***ns), frozen turkey, and canned crescent rolls. In my memory, it was all wonderful. In reality? Probably not so much.
I hosted my first Thanksgiving when I was 23 and had a new little baby. It was fairly disastrous. My husband, who is from France and therefore, unfamiliar with fake food, had put the rolls in a can in the freezer. I was exhausted and not super motivated. Happily, I got my act together and in the 35+ years that have followed, I have made many improvements. We will still eat jellied cranberry sauce and rolls from the scary popping can – because some things are just tradition, even if they are not great. But the rest involves many homemade sides and treats and a turkey who, according to the label (and the price tag) had nice grassy spaces and a healthy diet before joining us for dinner.
My holiday advice for you is this: make the holidays your own. If you want to serve a few things that will save time, do it. But don’t think that everything is too hard! Make a side dish that really appeals to you. Bake up a fun dessert that may not be a pie. At the end of the day, putting some love into what you do is the only thing that matters.
These apple cinnamon scones are very easy and not super dry. They are a simple gift to prepare and to bring with you to a holiday brunch or to just enjoy alone under a cozy blanket with your favorite hot beverage.
You’ve got this!
Apple Cinnamon Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup butter very cold
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup heavy cream + a few tablespoons for the topping
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup chopped apple
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop apples. I used two medium Gala apples that I had hanging around. You will need about 1 cup.
- Cut the 1/2 cup (one stick) of butter into cubes and place them in the freezer while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- If you have a food processor, place the the flour, baking powder, and spices into the bowl and give it one pulse to combine.
- Add the very cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture in the food processor. Pulse a few times, making sure to leave the butter chunks about pea size. DO NOT pulverize the butter into tiny specks.
- If you DO NOT have a food processor, place the flour, baking powder, and spices into a large bowl and mix with a fork. Work the butter into the mix using either a pastry cutter or two forks. You can also use your hands, but you don't want the butter to melt. Again, the butter should be about pea size.
- In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and beaten egg.
- Add in the heavy cream.
- Add in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing to combine thoroughly. I used my hands after the first few stirs.
- Mix in the chopped apples. I also did this with my hands.
- Lightly flour your work surface.
- Turn the dough out onto the work surface, kneading it four or five times.
- Pat the dough into a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Mine were about 1/2 thick.
- Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 8 triangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the triangles onto the baking sheet. I needed a sharp spatula to get it from the counter to the tray.
- Put the scone dough on the tray into the fridge for about 15 minutes. This will keep them from spreading too much in the oven.
- While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Also while the dough chills, mix the 3 tbsp of granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and give it the topping.
- Brush each scone with a bit of heavy cream and sprinkle each one with the cinnamon sugar topping to taste. I definitely had quite a bit left over – good for morning oatmeal or toast.
- Bake the scones for 22-25 minutes. When done, a toothpick inserted into the scone will come out dry.
